Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Kelley Montalvo of the 2016 Akron Racers

At 4'11", Kelley Montalvo packs a lot of talent in a small body. The University of Alabama product joined the Akron Racers in 2010 after a stellar career at Alabama. She has been a defensive standout, while being a solid contributor on offense.

Kelley was named the 2014 NPF Jennie Finch Award Winner for her positive impact on the sport, both on and off the field. I witnessed some of that spirit firsthand last season. Even on "enemy" turf at the Ballpark in Rosemont, Kelley had a group of fans waiting for her after the game. Despite a loss, Kelley signed autographs, posed for pictures and talked to her young fans.

Kelley is a great role model. You don't play as long as she has in the NPF without talent and determination. Obviously her size was somewhat of a hurdle, but she has proven that smaller women can still make it in the NPF. That is another great thing about that league, too.

I am a big fan of Kelley (despite her playing for the rival Racers) and a huge fan of the NPF. You can learn more about Kelley, the Racers and the NPF at AkronRacers.org. You can also follow Kelley on twitter.

1 comment:

When I was four years old, the very first movie I got to see on the big screen was Superman starring Christopher Reeve. It was an experience that I will never forget. Another experience that I will never forget happened four years later when I was introduced to the game of baseball.